On April 24th, USIP will host a roundtable discussion with a delegation of 12 Pakistani women from Amn-o-Nisa, a national coalition of women working to counter violent extremism and promote social cohesion in Pakistan.

Amn-o-Nisa, whose members come from all provinces and a diverse range of professional sectors, advocates for policy reforms in three sectors they view as critical for addressing extremism and countering radicalization: security, reconstruction and rehabilitation, and mediums of indoctrination (to encompass both formal and informal education).  The coalition also engages in community outreach programs with civil society, youth and women’s groups, the media, religious leaders, and the education sector to promote peace.

Drawing on their extensive experiences and expertise, the delegates will raise awareness of women’s on-going efforts to stabilize communities, bridge divides, and advance social cohesion in Pakistan as well as highlight specific examples of curbing violent extremism.

Joining the Pakistani women is Ambassador Swanee Hunt, president of Hunt Alternatives Fund, which includes The Institute for Inclusive Security and its Women Waging Peace Network.  Dr. Kathleen Kuehnast, Director of USIP’s Center of Innovation on Gender and Conflict, will moderate the event.    

This roundtable discussion will take place on Tuesday, April 24 from 2:00 to 3:30 pm at USIP Headquarters.  Please RSVP to Jeremy Moore: jmoore@usip.org.

Amn-o-Nisa is the result of a USIP grant given to The Hunt Alternatives Fund-The Institute for Inclusive Security in partnership with PAIMAN Alumni Trust.  The Pakistan Priority Grant Competition funds projects designed to strengthen civil society capacities for conflict prevention and promote greater understanding of issues related to identity, tolerance, diversity, and sectarian extremism in Pakistan through education, training, research, and the media.

The discussion will feature the following speakers:
•    Ambassador Swanee Hunt - President of Hunt Alternatives Fund and Chair of The Institute for Inclusive Security
•    Bushra Hyder – Director of Qadims Lumiere School and College in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
•    Naziha Ali - freelance journalist, documentary filmmaker, and contributor to DAWN newspaper in Karachi
•    Sameena Imtiaz - Founder and Executive Director of the Peace Education and Development Foundation working in Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
•    Qamar-ul Huda - Senior Program Officer in the Religion and Peacemaking Center at USIP